Washing machine



Nov. 1,9, 1935. y."r. HUME WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 8, 1929 4Sheets-Sheet l E11/emr t fo/U7, T HAL/71,6 l

Nov. 19, 1935. J. T. HUME wAsHmG MACHINE Filed Fb. 8, 1929 4Sh'leets-Sheet 2 `fO/UL ZT Haan@ l Nov. 19, 1935. '.1. T. HUME WASHINGMAGHNE Filed Feb. 8, 1929 4 sheets-sneek:l 3

Nov. l19, 1935.

Patented Nov. 19, 1935 anni corporation of Illinois application Februarys. i929, serial No. 338,456

lill Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in washing machines and itspurpose is to yprovide a simplified and improved form of washing machineadapted primarily for household use. Theprincipal object of theinvention is to provide an improved washing machine of the tub typeembodying improved power driven clothes agitating means. A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a washing machine embodyingimproved driving mechanism for the clothes agitating dev1ce.

I provide a washing machine and a clothes wringer in combination withimproved drivingmechanism by which either the clothes wringer or theclothes agitating device of the washing machine may be driven. Anotherobject is to provide an improved form of clothes agitating device. Otherobjects relate to various features of construction and arrangement whichwill appear more fully hereinafter.

The nature of they invention will be understood from the followingspecification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which one embodiment is illustrated. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows'a vertical axial section through awashing machine'embodying the features of the present invention,illustrating the associated clothes wringer in elevation;

Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section taken on the Iline 2:-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a detail vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2,illustrating the mounting of the driving motor;

\ Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,illustrating the construction of the drain outlet;

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged vertical section, like that of Fig. 1,illustrating the constructionof the driving mechanism; I

Fig. 6 shows a top plan viewof the driving mechanism illustrated in Fig.5;

Fig. 'l' is a detail plan view, similar to that of Fig. 6, illustratingthe relation of the .parts when the driving mechanism of the clothesagitator is disengaged;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical-section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1,illustrating the construcf tion of the driving mechanism 'o'fthe'clothes wringer;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 shows a detail vertical section taken on the line lli- I0 ofFig. 8;

Still another object of the invention is to.

(Cil. ilk-'219) Fig. ll shows a horizontal section taken on the lineii-il of Fig.- 9; and

Fig. 12 shows a horizontal section taken on the line -92-l2 of Fig. 8.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the improved washingmachine ofthe present invention comprises a sheet metal clothescontaining vessel i5 of the tub type which is provided with an outercylindrical wall l5a open at its upper end and provided around its upperedge with an im inwardly extending bead l". A circular sheet metal coverit is adapted to close the upper open y -end of the tub l5 and'thiscover is provided with il; This opening il( is normally closed by aremovablel lid la having an outwardly directed annular shoulder it?which overlies the 'upper edge of the cover above the bead lob. The lidi8 is also provided with a downwardlyY extending 25` annular ange itarranged to nt within the annular bead lb, as shown in Fig. 1. Thecentral portion of the lid i8 is depressedas shown at i8 and is'providedwith a handle i9 4adapted vto bev engaged by the fingers of theoperator. 30

The vessel l5 is mounted on and secured to a circular sheet metal frame20 having a downwardly extending annular ange 20a which is se-` vcuredto a plurality of supporting legs 2l provided Three equally spacedvertically extending ribs or vanesllic unite the'skirt 25b with' thestem 25a 'and also serve as clothes agitating members 45 when the device25 is oscillated about a vertical axis. The lower portion of the stem25a of the clothes agitating device is journaled on a bushing 26 whichis mounted on the lower .portion of a. hollowsleeve 21 provided at itslower end 5'0 29 adapted to serve as a packing chamber around 55 turnedbead' iwhich bounds a circular opening 20 Aclosed by the plug 45.

the vessel I5 at the points where the outwardly' ared portions 21a ofthe supporting sleeve 21 are attached to the bottom of the vessel and tothe supporting frame 20. Adjacent the outer edge of the Vessel I5, at asuitable point', there is located an outlet valve casing 33 having theconstruction illustrated particularly ln Fig. 4. This ,valve casing issecured beneath the frame member 20 by a hollow threaded plug 34engaging an aperture in the bottom wall of the vessel I5 and acorresponding aperture in the frame 20. The

casing 33 is provided with a valve seat 33a and the valve member 33b isadapted to engage this seat to control the flow of washing iluidoutwardly to the mouth 33c'of the valve casing. The valve member 331 ismounted on a stem 33d which threadedly engages the valve casing andwhich projects through the depending ange 20a of the frame, terminatingin a pair of ears 33e.

The driving shaft 30 ofV the clothes agitating device 25 is driventhrough suitable `driving mechanism operated by an electric motor 35,

the casing of which is secured by studs 35 on a t sheet metal bracket 31secured to the under side oi the frame 2i! by bolts 35, as shown in Fig.3. The condutors for the electric circuit lead to this motor through aexible conduit 39 which enters a connecting block 4@ mounted on themotor casing. The switch for controlling this circuit may be locatedconveniently to permit the ready starting and stopping of the drivingmechanism. The vshaft 4I oi the motor 35 ex'- tends into a gear housing42 secured to the` under side of the frame 2li by means of boltsengagingv the holes 43 formed in the housing around its outer edge, asshown in Fig. 6. Ihis gear housing is closed on its upper side by asheet metal plate 44 secured in place by the bolts which secure thehousing in positionl and this gear casing is adapted to contain oil orgrease for the driving mechanism, which lubricant may be withdrawnthrough an opening normally The motor shaft 4I is journaled in bearings46 and it has secured thereon a spiral gear 41 adapted to mesh with thelarge gear 48. The gear 48 has its hub journaled on the stationaryvertical shaft or axle 49 which is secured in a housing 50 carried bythe lower part of the gear casing 42, as shown in Fig. 5. The upperportion of the hub of the gear 48 carries an integrally formedeccentric5I which is adapted to revolve in a circular aperture 52a formed in theeccentric block 52. This block is adapted to slide in guides 53 which'are formed on the sides of an oscillatory arm or frame 54. This frame isprovided at one end with a segmental gear 55 arranged to mesh with apinion 56 secured on the lower end of the shaft 30 of the clothesagitating device so that when the frame 54 is os'cillated by therotation of the eccentric 5I, an oscillatory motion is lm parted to theclothes agitating device. The

lower end of the shaft 30 is journaled in theV bearing 51 formed in thegear casing 42, as shown in Fig. 5, and the pinion 56 rests on the upperend of this bearing and is secured against vertical displacement by atransverse pin 58,

thus forming a thrust bearing Tor the vertical driving shaft 30. Theoscillatory framel 54 is provided at the end thereof opposite the seg- 5mental gear 55 with a bearing hub 59 adapted to rock about a cylindricalbearing member 5U Which'is carried by a plate 6I. Both the hub 59 andlthe cylindrical bearingfmember 6i) rest on the upper'surface of a gear62 which is splined 10 on the lower `end of a vertical operating shaft63and this gear 60 is arranged to be driven through -an intermediatepinion 64 from the large driving .gear 48 previously described. The apinion 64 meshes directly with vboth the gear 48 15 and the gear 60 andis journaled on a sub-shaft 65 extending upwardly from the lower wall ofthe casing 42. The gear 62 has a hub 62a extending dwnwardly therefromand journaled in a bearing 66 carried by the lower part of the 20 gear.casing and the downward thrust of this gear and of the shaft 63 aresupported by a roller thrust bearing 61. The shaft 65 is adapt. ed todrivew the clothes wringer through the mechanism hereinafter described.For the pur- 25 pose of permitting the driving mechanism of the clothesagltating device 25 to be connected and disconnected as desired,arrangements are made for disengaging the segmental gear 55 from thedriving pinion "55 by shifting the oscillatory 30,

frame 5ft. This operation is effected by moving the cylindrical bearing6@ carried bythe plate 6l which is pivoted to swing about a stationarypin 6B which extends downwardly from the vertically extending housing 10in which the ver- 35 tical operating shaft 53 is mounted'. The plate 6Iis provided with an elongated slot`6la in which is mounted a block 1Iprovided with a circular y,mental gear 55 into or out of mesh with thepinion 56. The block 1I is mounted to slide in the guide 69 which'isdirected radially outward 150 from the axis of thepin 68 and the block1I is normally forced in an outward direction by means of a coil'spring18 which is located'in the slot 69. The axis ofthe rod or shaft 15 is solocated with respect to the pin 12 and the block 1I that 55 the spring18'tends to hold the plate 6I in either w extreme position to which itmay be moved by the movement of the crank handle 11 at the upper end ofthe rod 15. When the rod 15 is rotated to turn the plate 6I to aposition wherein 60 the segmental gear 55 and the pinions 56 aredisengaged, the oscillatory frame 54 is permitted to rock about thebearing member 60 without effecting movement of the clothes agitatingdevice 25 while at the same time permitting the 65 operation of thewringer mechanism by the upwardly extending operating shaft E3. It willbe noted that the shaft l(i3 extends through the apertures 19 formed inthe guide member 65 and theplate 6I, this aperture being large enough to70 permit the necessary shifting of the bearing member 6l) Withput theWallstof the aperture 19 contacting with the shaft 63.

' As shown in/Y'Fig. 1, the housing 10 extends upwardly at the side ofthe clothes receiving ves- 75 vsus and it has an operating handle Ilasecured sel I5 and, adjacentthe upper edge of the vessel, it isoutwardly flared as shown at 18a.) This tapered portion 10F- of thehousing is adapted to be rotatably engaged by a similarly tapered sleeve80 vextending downwardly from and formed integrally with the housing 8lof the clothes -wringer 82. An outwardly and downwardly extending flangel83 is formed on the housing 8I around the upper end of the sleeve 80and this fiange is adapted to rest on and extend downwardly around theoutwardly extendingfla'nge 1lib which isformed on the casing 18. Asshown particularly'in Fig. 12, this flange I0b is provided with aplurality of notches 84 `any one of which may be engaged by'a lockingpin 85 rhount-V ed to slidevertically iny suitable guides carried bythe' housing 8l and the housing cover 86. 'I'he housing is secured inplace Aby cap screws 81. A sleeve 88 'is secured on the pin 85 above thetrough 89 in which the pins Aslide and a coil spring 92 is mounted onthis sleeve between the lower annular shoulder 88a thereof Aand theplate 98 which is secured to the under side of the cover 8B by means ofscrews 9I. The sleeve 88 is adapted to engage an aperture 90a formed inthe plate 98 s o that the pin 85 may be pulled upwardly by means of thehandle 85a mounted on the upper end thereof to cause-the sleeve 88 to beraised against the compression of the'spring 92, .thus permitting 'thehousing 8l and the wringer 82 to be rotated to any desired angularposition with respect to the washing machinel casing I5 after which thewringer may be locked in that position by causing the pins 85 to engagethe desired one of the notches 84 'in `the flange 19h. f

The upper, end of the vertical operating shaftk 63 has a drivingengagement with the hub 9'3a of a bevel gear 93 which is mounted in' thehousing 8l, the hub 93 being journaled in a bearing 9d formed inthelower part of this housing, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. 'lhe bevelgear 93 i meshes continuously with two other bevel gears is Iengaged bya block 089 having an aperturer lili the bevel gear iid-and the shaft 98.to cause this shaft to rotate in either direction depending upon theposition of the clutch member 99vwhich is splined thereon.

The clothes wringer 82 is provided with a pair" of oppositely rotatingrolls i199 each of which is.

provided with shafts Itl engaging bearing members It which arefmountedin the wringer frame i199.. The shaft B89 of the lower roll is connectedat one end through fa coupling it@ with theshaft 98 upon which theyclutch member 99 and the bevel gears 95 and-99 are mounted. By shiftingthe clutch member 9,9, the direction of rotation of the rolls 0980i thewringer may be `reversed v and this reversal is effected by shiftingtheclutch member on the central, enlarged portion of the shaft 98 onwhich it issplined. The clutch member has two annular flanges'99afforming a central annular groove M8. This annular groove thereinwhich is rotatably engaged bya stud l I@ located in an eccentricpositionon the .lower end of a rotatable shaft Ill. This shaft is journaled in abearing-"H2 carried by the housing cover on the upper end thereofformanipulation by the operator in effecting the shifting of the clutchmember 99. It will be apparent that when the crank handle-IIS is rotatedabout its vertical 5 axis, the corresponding rotation of the shaft IIIwill shift the clutch member '99 in one direction or the other to'effecta driving engagement between the shaft 98 and one of the bevel gears 95or 96. In order that the clutch member 99 may be held in neutralposition shown in Fig'. 9 or in either of its engaging positions, thecover y 86 of the wringer housing is provided withr a recess II4 inwhich is located a ball II5 pressed downwardly by a coil spring IIB.This ball is adapted to engage any one of the depressions -I IlA whichare formed in the spring plate II8 shown particularly in Figs. 8 and 11.This springplate IIS serves as a locking plate and it mounted lclutchmember 99 is in either a neutral position or in either of its engagingpositions wherein the teeth |00 interlock with one of the sets of teethvIM. By this arrangement, Athe shaft 83, which rotates continuously whenthe driving motor 35 is inoperation, may be employed when desired tooperate the clothes wringer'and may be allowed to rotate during theintervening intervals without effecting any operation of the wringer.The wringer 82 may therefore be opcrateri-simultaneously with'theoperation of the clothes agitating device or either the clothes wringeror the" clothes ag'itating device may be'di) separately operated.` Thespring plate IIS has a notch l I8a in the edge thereof which is adaptedto register with the sleeve 88 when the clutch member i288 is in itsneutral position, thus preventingy the upward movement of the pin 85 and45 'the connected` sleeve 88 when the clutch member vis in engagementwith either of the clutch teeth lei.' By this means, the operator isprevented from releasing tlie'pin 85 from engagement with' any one ofthe notches 89 to permit the rotation 50 ofthe wringer on the supportingcasing l@ when a driving connection is established through the rollsi931 of the wringer.

Although one form of the invention has bee shown and described by way ofillustration, it 55 `will be understood that it may be constructed invarious other embodiments within the scope of the appended claims. A

l claim:

1."The combination in driving mechanism for '39 a vclothes washingmachine,of an operating shaft, a pinion xed onsaid shaft, a frame havingteeth adapted to mesh with the teeth of said pinion,

a bearing member on which said frame is journaled, means, for impartingan oscillatory motion 85 to said frame, a block carrying said bearingmember, and means for shifting said bloei; and said bearing memberbodily for causing said/teeth of said frame to engage and disengage saidpinion. 70 p 2. The combination in .driving mechanism for a clotheswashing machine, of an operating shaft, a pinion xed on said shaft, aframe having teeth adapted to mesh with said pinion, means -forimparting an oscillatory motion to said frame,

. a bearing member on which said frame is pivotally 4 faoa'nzss mounted,a pivotedplate carrying said bearingL member, and manually operatedmeans for turn, ing said plate around its pivot for shifting theposition of said bearing member and said frame.

3. The combination in driving mechanismfor a clothes washing machine, ofan operating shaft connected to said device,.a pinion fixed on saidshaft, a frame having teeth adapted to mesh with said pinion, means forimparting an oscillatory motion to said frame, a bearing member on whichsaid frame is pivotally mounted, a pivoted plate carrying said bearingmember, manually operated means for turning said plate aroundits pivotfor shifting the position of said bearing member and said frame, andmeans associated rwith said plate for holding said bearing member blockand theoscillation of said frame, andmeans L 'for shifting said framelongitudinally to edect the disengagement of its 'teeth Awith those ofsaid 5. The combination in driving mechanism for y a clothes Washingmachinaof an operating shaft,

' a pinion fixed on sai-d shaft, a frame having teeth adapted to meshwith said pinion, a bearing member on which. said frame is pivotallymounted, means for imparting yan oscillatory motion to said frame, apivoted plate carrying said bearing member,` said plate having a groovetherein, a block slidably mounted in said' groove, and means comprisingan eccentric pin for moving said block in said groove tovmove said plateabout its pivotal connection and thereby shift the position of saidbearing member and said frame. t

'6. The combination in driving mechanism for a washing machiijie,` of anoperating shaft, a pinion `fixed on said shaft, a frame having teethadapted to mesh with said pinion, a Wringer shaft, a second pinion fixedon said vvringer shaft, means including a common driving gear foractuating said frame and said second-named pinion, aloearing memberloosely surrounding Isaid Wringer shaft and having saidframe pivotallyinounted thereon, and means yfor shifting'the position of said bearingmember with respect to said wringer shaft for controlling the engagementof the teeth of said frame with said iirst named pinion.

7. The combination in driving mechanism for a washing machine, of anoperating shaft, a pin- A ion xedon said shaft, apivotally mounted framehaving teeth adapted to mesh vvith said pinion, a rotatable drivingmember, a member eccentrically 5 located on said driving member iandhaving a vsliding engagement with said frame, means for rotating saiddriving member to effect the oscillation of said frame, and means forshifting said frame longitudinally to effect the disengagement of itsteeth with those of said pinion.

8. The combination in driving mechanism for a Washing machine, of anoperating shaft, a pinion fixed on said shaft, a pivo'tally mountedframe havingteethadapted to mesh with said pinion, a driving gearmounted adjacent said frame, an eccentric operated by said driving gear,a block slidably mounted in said frame and rotatably engaged by saideccentric, and means for rotating said driving gear. A

9. The combination in driving mechanism for a Washing machine, of anoperating shaft, a pinion fixed on said shaft, a frame having teethadapted to mesh with said pinion, a Wringer shaft, a second pinion fixedon said Wringer shaft, an intermediate gear meshing with said last namedpinion, a common driving gear meshing with said intermediate gear, andmeans including an` oscillatory rack pivoted about said Wringer shaftand actuated by said driving gear for operating said rst 39 `namedpinionl0. The combination in driving mechanism for a washing' machine,of an operating shaft, a pinion lhired on ,said shaft, a frame havingteeth adapted to `mesh with said pinion, a wringer shaft, a secondpinion fixed on said Wringer shaft, an intermediate gear meshing withlsaid last named pinion, a common driving gear meshing With saidintermediate gear, means including a pivotally mounted oscillatory rackbar pivoted about said 40 vlringer shaft and actuated by said drivinggear for actuating said rst named pinion, and means .for shifting thepivotal mounting of said rack bar to disengage said rack bar from saidrst named pinion. ll. 'The combination in driving mechanism for awashing machine, of an operating shaft, a pinion fixed on said shaft, aframe having teeth adapted to mesh with said pinion, awringer shaft,said frame being pivoted to swing about the axis of said Wringer shaft,a second pinion fixed on said wringen shaft, and meansincluding a commondriving gear for 'actuating said frame and said second named pinion.

lioHN T. HUME.

